Multi-purpose hot stamping press and process



MULTI-PURPOSE HOT STAMPING PRESS AND PROCESS Filed March 27, 1964 T. SCIAME July 20, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INW ENTOR TONY SC I AME ATTORNEY July 20, 1965 3,195,450

MULTI-PURPOSE HOT STAMPING PRESS AND PROCESS T. SCIAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27, 1964 FIG.5

FIG. 4

INVENTOR. TONY SC IAME BY W ATTORNEY July 20, 1965 T. SCIAME 3,195,450

MULTI-PURPOSE HOT STAMPING PRESS AND PROCESS Filed March 27, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 43 is gas I as 33 as |4@ F|G.7 H6859 F|G.9

FIG. IO

INVENTOR. TONY SCI AME ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,195,450 MULTI-PURPOSE HOT TAMP1NG PRESS AND PROCESS Tony Sciarne, 826 Hampden St., Linden, NJ. Filed Mar. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 355,271 5 Claims. (Cl. 1019) This invention deals with a multi-purpose press for hot stamping of designs or printing on all types of work pieces, including both rigid and flexible types, of which one flexible type is commonly known as a blow bottle by reason of its being molded by inflation into a mold. More specifically, it relates to a vertically-operated press of unconventional design whose basic components include a bed and two rams, independently movable but powered from a single source and employing the same guides to control their extremely accurate positioning. These two rams may be operated in spring-loaded rela tion to each other, or they may be interconnected to behave mechanically as a single ram, which feature provides the multi-purpose function of this invention.

Hot stamping deals with the transfer of designs or printing by employing the application of heat and pressure of an engraved or suitably-configured die upon a thin film or tape having a pigmented coated surface which is pressed against the piece to be printed by the die. The coating on the tape is compounded in a manner so as to transfer to the work piece, upon application of the required heat and pressure. Use of this principle is widely employed in the advertising arts, and is implemented by machines designed to facilitate the use of this art. Present conventional machines are designed to accomplish either the hot stamping of rigid work, or that of flexible containers, such as blow bottles, but not both. Such machines use a heated die and means for intermittently feeding the pigmented tape.

Conventional machines for hot stamping of fiat or rigid work employ a bed, sometimes adjustable for height, on which the work may be positioned, and which supports the work against the pressure of the ram. A conventional design for hot stamping of blow bottles consists of a machine with two horizontally-opposed rams whose function is to enclose the work between two heated cavity nests, and onto whose inner surfaces the design or printing dies are attached. The application of heat and pressure is effected by inflation of the bottle after it has been enclosed within the joined cavity nests. A ig mented tape is interposed between the work or bottle wall and the die, and the inflation pressure expands the bottle so that its surfaces press upon the tape and the die, whereupon transfer of the design or printing is effected, if all variables are under proper control. Such a conventional horizontally-operated press possesses a number of serious disadvantages and deficiencies. In the first place, it is a very costly machine, while nevertheless, its scope of production is limited only to the hot stamping of containers having a mouth or neck suitable for supporting the container. The bottle support commonly consists of a Wheel, driven by a Geneva drive, and carrying radially-projecting air nozzles over each of which a bottle is rammed, and upon which each bottle must be supported in immovably-fixed position, while the wheel is rotated into proper orientation between the horizontal rams carrying the cavity nest halves. The bottles rotate successively into position for hot stamping, after which they are successively rotated down and away from the rams. Such a conventional press has no bed, and no bed is possible because of the geometry of bottle feed and removal, since a bed would interfere with the wheel nozzles. As a result, this limits the press to the hot stamping of containers having months or necks 5,l5, i5 Patented July 20, 1965 "Ice which are strong enough to be supported on a nozzle, because there is no other support means available.

In the second place, the containers must be positioned by hand on the nozzles in the air, with nothing to guide the operator except judgment and experience, and there fore, with no assurance, other than the aforesaid, that the bottles will not be improperly pinched or distorted by the cavity nests as they are closed by the horizontallyopposed rams.

Furthermore, trouble frequently arises from the fact that the dies are immovably alfixed to the inner walls of the cavity nests. In fact, they are integral parts thereof. Since it is necessary to heat the die, the integral nature of the die and cavity nest also entails a transfer of heat to the nest to such an extent as to cause melting of the bottle itself. To avoid this condition, provision must be made by a complicated arrangement, to cool the cavity nest, while permitting that portion carrying the die to remain adequately hot. Although such a system gives success with containers having a relatively small area of imprint, it is not so successful in cases where a relatively large imprint is desired, or where the imprint is scattered. From the aforesaid integral nature of cavity nest and die, then, it is apparent that the system entails higher tooling costs due to the complication of providing cooling ducts and because of the necessity of fitting the die to the wall of the cavity nest with great accuracy, for even though die and cavity nest are fabricated independently, they must be assembled together to form an integral unit. A basic disadvantage of the integral cavity nest and die arrangement resides in the fact that the die position is not readily adjustable. Since, as the blow bottle expands, its surface must make contact with the die (the tape being interposed) before, and only slightly before, it makes contact with the cavity nest. This delicate adjustment must be precalculated, or else the entire assembly must be laboriously removed, disassembled, and corrected by highly skilled personnel. Accordingly, there frequently results a long and arduous set-up time, with greatly added costs attached thereto.

The method of feeding the bottles by the Geneva drive, and their removal, requires a multiplicity of nozzles to be fabricated, maintained, and installed for each different container to be imprinted. Since both the diam- I eter and length of the nozzles must be fabricated to very close tolerances, the tubes on which they are mounted must be capable of being adapted or replaced in order to bring the bottles into accurate orientation, fore and aft, as they are swung between the two horizontally-opposed rams. This means that there are as many chances for failure as there are nozzles on the wheel, usually about five or more. It also imposes the problem of identifying a particular failure with a particular position of the wheel, assuming that the operator is consistently accurate in placing the bottle over the nozzle in the first place.

According to the present invention, a multi-purpose press has been developed which has none of the aforesaid deficiencies and disadvantages. It will hot stamp any type of work, be it rigid or flexible, flat or otherwise, including, but not limited to, blow bottles or other containers. Orientation of the bottle is effected by placing the work piece directly in a cavity nest (rather than depending on the precarious positioning in the air over a nozzle) which makes placing of the work piece a matter of go or no go, thereby presenting to the die the precise portion of the surface to be imprinted in a precise attitude, and at a precise location, and without much effort or experience.

In the present invention, the die is not an integral part of the cavity nest. On the contrary, it is entirely separate, being mounted on its own independent mountj a v encased v n3 7 ing plate. The die enters the cavity nest only momentarily to effect the impression, after which it is retracted. Thus,-

through the die is heated, it transmits little or no heat to the cavity nest and therefore, no cooling at all is required, which feature helps greatly to reduce tooling costs and maintenance problems. The die position relative to the inner surface of. the cavity nest is readily adjustable by the turn of ascrew, which feature enables even an inexperienced operator togmake the adjustment at will, with no need for disassembly of any portion of the machine,and leads to better imprint quality by'reason of the ease with which corrections can be made.

In the present invention, there is always onlyfone die and one cavity nest in theupper or overhead position, and there is a'maximum of only two, cavity nests in the lower position onthe bed. These cavity nests are'in the hate the bottle or bottles. The time elapsing for this pressure application isunder the control of .a commercial timing device. Under the pressure of injected air, the work piece expands, but this expansion is limited and controlled by the reason of the bottle being enclosed within the cavity nests. direction there .is space available and, since this is upward toward the die, the surface of the work piece make contact with the die.

Prior to this, the pigmented tape (which slides laterally, and intermittently at each bottle insertion), is slid to present surface, which latter is pressed against the die by the expanding bottle wall. The inflanature of mold halves. so that whenthey are brought 7 together, they enclose the bottle within a complete cavity much like the mold in which'the work piece was made. The maximum of two nests resting on the bed. simplifies set-up, reduces the chances for error, and facilitates the identification of; the location of trouble ifand when it; doesoccur. .The upper cavity nest and its mounting plate must be provided with a hole of suitable configuration to allow the die to enter and retract. Such opening isslig'htly larger than the die, so that there is'never any physical contact between the die. and the cavity nest 'or its mount-' ing plate. The air gap thus provided, even when thedie is inserted for imprinting, providesfan effective barrier against heat transfer. I I

The press, ram of the present invention consist of two independently-movable ram heads, interconnected in such away that; springs act to keep them separated, while tie rods limit the amount of separation. To the lower. head is attached the upper cavity nest, and to the upper head is attached the'heated die; Thrust, either from a hydraulic clyinder or from a suitable toggle-arm arrangement powered by a pneumatic cylinder, drives both heads .tion pressure is maintained by commercial pressure regujlators for a predetermined time, during which the heat from the die, combined with the inflation pressure, ef-

' feet the desired transfer of the imprint. When the proper time has clasped, the timing mechanism actuates the air injection nozzle to retract Which, in turn, actuates the ram assembly switch to shut off ram pressure and cause thetrarn' to lift. As this assembly rises, the die first rises out of the upper cavity nest, the spring pressure still being applied (through decreasing) as the rise is accomplished; Finally, at a predetermined p oint, the tie rods take control and, asthe die continues to rise, the upper cavity nest rises with it until the entire assembly attains its maximum upward position, and is then ready to repeat the cycle. During this upward stroke, the tape is fed by' a mechanism of conventional design, it being understood thatthe'amount of the tape feed is entirely independent of the amount of ram assembly stroke, being individually powered by a suitable clyinder or motor, and

' actuated by the same switch which actuates the assembly downward at the same velocity, the thrust being applied to the upper, or die head,which drives the lower, or cavity nest head, through the aforesaid springs. In transit, the die first remains at a 'fixed position above the. cavity nest,

and entirely separate therefrom. I V

The downward motion of the. cavity nest ceases when contact is made the cavity nest afiixed to the bed, of the press, at which time the work piece becomes enclosed between the two cavity nests. However, the die head continues the downward descent against the force of the springs and, as it does so, the die approaches and enters the hole in the upper cavitynest at the same time that the springs separating the two heads are beingcompressed. The pressure from these springs serves to keep the two cavity nests tightly closed even though the work piece is being inflated with air under considerable pressure.

The downwardmost location of the die-within the' uppe'r to rise. I

The foregoing description of operation applies to the hot stamping of flexible work pieces which can and must be inflated. For stamping of rigid work, which needs only to be properly supported, and does not require inflation, the two ram heads are rigidly interconnected by running the nuts along the tie rods until the two heads are .firmly tied together in the 'desiredvertical relationship. A further feature of this invention resides in this ca- "pability which is not possible with conventional presses.

In the operation of the presentinvention, the tape is fed from a supply roll and'then around guide rolls, and across the area in which the imprint is to bernade.

Since the tape is, in etfecustretched across this area, it assumes a plane position suitable for flat work, but unsuitable for other. configurationspsuch as round, since it is'i'mportant that the hot die does not touch the tape vmerit will tendto be released too soon, and smudging orv until the latter contacts the work. Otherwise, the pigsmearing rwill occur. It thus becomes highly important to have) the ability to forcethe tape into pre-conformity cavity is determined by a screw adjustment which, in effect, positions the entire ram assembly in a vertical di-' rection so that the limit of the downward stroke is also the limiting position for the die.

Therefo're,.it is ap-. parent that this position can be varied at willwhile the with the shape of the surface to be stamped, especially if the surface departs radically from flatJ One feature of the present invention is that'it accomplishes this by the use of an upper cavity nest, even in rigid work not requiring inflation. For, as the ram'descends, this nest, through I which the tape is fed, forces the tape to conform to the springs can be depended jupo'n'the main' sufficient pressure to keep the cavity nests closed against the infiated.

pressure of the work piece. Thus, it is possible to make quickly several tries to find the right setting by the simple turn of the adjustment screw, and until the quality "of imprint is at an optimum. V Wherever both heads of the ram parent that more can be positioned on the bed, and the control mechanism is pre-aligned Jso that it rams one or more air nozzles into the mouth-and neck of one or more work pieces, at which time, also via, an electrical actuation, air is injected tothe desiredpressure to in I assembly are attheir lowest position, an electrical switch trips an 'air -injection mechanisms to relieve the ram pressure for r'e'traction. Although one work piece is described'herein, it is apbutfnot both; It is to be understood, however, that the.

present press does not require an upper cavity nest for i rigid work anymore than conventional presses require it, but thatvit, is made available where complexity makes it.desirable,,thus greatly increasingthe scope .of the press capability and greatly improving the quality of the work It, therefore, expands in whatever done. In the case of imprinting fiat work, it; is apparent that both cavities may be dispensed with.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which a pre ferred embodiment is described, and in which FIGURE 1 presents a side view of a hot-stamping press of the present invention. FIGURE 2 depicts a top cross-sectional view of a press similar to that in FIGURE 1, taken alOng line 22 of FIGURE 1. FIGURE 3 is a top view of a portion of the upper cavity nest carrying member taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1. view of the press, taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1, is illustrated in FIGURE 4, while FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of a portion of the upper cavity nest taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1. FIGURE 6 shows a bottom view of the die and die-carrying plate, taken along line 66 of FIGURE 1. FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, depict schematically the positions of the die, cavity nests, and air inlet, during the various stages of the hot stamping operation, while using the press of FIGURE 1. FIGURE 10 illustrates a side view, partly broken away, of the press of FIGURE 1, as adapted for hot stamping of flat or rigid articles. Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the various figures.

Referring again to the drawings, and more specifically to FIGURE 1, numeral 11 represents a metal base, say, square or rectangular in shape, and having a hard steel ground cylindrical support 12 mounted in each corner. Attached to the top of base 11, between the supports 12, is a flat metal holding member 13 on which is attached a lower cavity nest 14 (preferably made of epoxy-resin), the upper portion 15 of which is shaped to hold the plastic bottle 16 which is to be hot-stamped on its side.

Shafts 12 are connected at their tops with cross-member 17, and centrally-disposed in the latter is threaded vertical hole 18 in which rides screw 19, having an ad justing knob 20. The bottom 19' of screw 19 rotates freely in recessed shoulder 21 disposed incross-plate 22 on which is mounted, swivelly at 23, cylinder 24 of a hydraulic or pneumatic motor, the piston or ram 25 of which is directed downwardly and connected, at nut 26, to die-carryingplate 27. Both plates 22 and 27 are provided with ball bushings 28 to enable the plates to ride freely over shafts 12.

Attached to the bottom of die-carrying plate 2'7, by screws 30, is the insulating spacer or support 29 made of heat-resisting insulating material, such as a thermosetting phenol-formaldehyde resin, sold under the name of Bakelite, or similar material. Support 29 preferably has a cross-sectional shape of a cross and, at its bottom, is attached, by screws 31, the die-holding metal plate 32. Die 33, of hard ground steel, having the design etched on its lower face 34, has a wid-er base which is attached to plate 32 by screws 36. As can be seen from FIGURE 6, plate 32 has a series of radial threaded holes 37 for attachment of various sizes of dies.

Mounted on the top of plate 32, by screws 39, is circular housing 38 in which are disposed electrical heating coils 40, used to heat plate 32, as well as die 33. Disposed in spaced relation below die 33 is upper cavity nest holding plate 41, having a hole 42 through which die 33 is able to move in close-fitting relation. Attached to the bottom of plate 41 is upper cavity nest 43, also preferably of epoxy-resin, and having its lower portion 44 contoured to fit the upper exposed portion of plastic bottle 16. Nest 43 likewise has a hole 45 disposed in vertical alignment with hole 42, and designed to permit entry therethrough, in close-fitting relation, of die 33. Plate 41 is provided with ball bushings 23 so that it may ride freely over shafts 12.

Plates 27 and 41 are provided with two (FIG. 1) or four (FIG. 2) laterally-extending lugs 46 and 4646, respectively, designed to hold tie rod screws 47, over which are mounted thrust springs 48, the springs being designed to keep plates 27 and 41 apart for a preset distance A top cross-sectional effected by tightening or loosening nuts 49. With this arrangement, plates 27 and 41 ride as a unit over shafts 12 when ram 25 is extended downwardly, until the two cavity nests 14 and 43 come in contact with each other, as in FIG. 8. Thereafter, plate 41 remains stationary, while plate 27 continues to descend, whereupon heated die 33 enters holes 42 and 45 to imprint the bottle 16, as will be outlined later. This would be the end of the stroke for ram 25, after which it would rise to its original position, picking up plate 41 when the preset spring loading distance of tie rod screw 47 has been reached.

L-ug 46" has an extension 50 on which is mounted a tape roll 51, the tape carrying a thermoplastic ink, such as gold ink, which is melted by the hot die. This roll preferably has a brake to eliminate slack. Extension 52 on lug 46' has takeup rolls 53, actuated by a rack-and pinion mechanism 54 attached to lug 55 projecting from cross-plate 22. This is a conventional mechanism for feeding tape 56 over the die-emerging face of upper cavity nest 43 andthereafter rejecting the spent tape 56.

Disposed adjacent base 11, is a base 60 having support 61 to which is attached air pressure hose 62 and to which is connected nozzle 63. Air under pressure is fed int-o hose 62 through connection 64. Base 60 is designed to be moved laterally by a motor (not shown), so that nozzle 63 would fit into tight, outside sealing relation, with neck 59 of bottle 16, and remain there until bottle 16 is inflated to the desired extent, after which nozzle 63 is withdrawn.

When in operation, the unit is run as follows:

The press is in idle position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, and a plastic bottle 16 is inserted in lower cavity nest 14. Then, hydraulic (or other type) pressure is applied at the inlet valve (not shown) of cylinder 24, whereupon both plates 27 and 41 are forced downwardly, until the cavity nest is closed (cavity nests 43 and 14), as in FIG. 8. Thereafter, base 60 is moved toward base 11 until nozzle 63 is inserted in neck 59 of bottle 16, in outside sealing relation. Air is then fed through line 64 to inflate bottle 16. In the meantime, ram 25 continues to descend, against the force of spring 48, and hot die 33 enters holes 42 and 45 and presses upon tape 56 at the moment of full inflation of bottle 16, at which .point air pressure to line 64 is shut off, as in FIG. 9. This is the end of the stroke of ram 25, at which point the exhaust valve (not shown) is opened and ram 25 begins its upward journey.

On the upward journey, the sequence is reverse, and die 33 first emerges from holes 42-45 due to the elfect of spring 48. When the distance between nuts 49-49 is covered, then plate 41 is picked up and raised to the idle level, at which point rack 54 is activated, and additional tape 56 is fed under fixture 43. The imprinted bottle then is removed from nest 14, and a new one inserted, after which the cycle is repeated.

It will be noted from the aforesaid, that die 33 remains heated during the entire period. However, since it is out of contact with cavity nest 43, the latter need not be cooled. The entry of die 33 into holes 42-45 is only momentary, and is not suflicient to heat up the cavity nest to the melting point of the plastic bottle.

If the press is to be used for hot-stamping of fiat or rigid articles, the following changes are efiiected, as is apparent from FIG. 10;

If desired, an insulating pad, e.g., one of phenol-formaldehyde resin, polyurethane, asbestos, or the like, is inserted on plate 41, between it and die plate 32, there being provision made in the pad to permit passage therethrough of die 33. Then nuts 49 are screwed down to compress springs 48 until plate 41 is raised, with respect to plate 27, so that die 33 projects therethrough. Then, the flat or rigid object 72, to be hot stamped, is laid on table member 13 (or fed thereon), and the press is ready for hot stamping, as outlined for the unit shown in FIG. 1 (the nozzle 63, of course, being dispensed hollow plastic bottles.

also POSSlblEIO use the same press for. the hot-stamping a rigid of fiat or rigid articles as well.

I claim:' a

1. A multi-purpose hot stamping press, comprising, in

combination,

' a base having vertically-projecting guide rods mounted near the edges of said base, said rods being connected at the top with a cr'oss-plate, V

a pressure cylinder and downwardly-directed ram con nected therewith and mounted on said cross-plate,

with); Vertical adjustment of die '33, with respcct to a die assembly-carrying plate mounted on the free' end of said ram and designed to ride on said rods, insulating member attached .to the bottom of said die assembly-carryingplate,

a heat-conductive die plate attached to the bottom of 7 said insulating member, heating means attached to said die plate, 7 a die attached to the bottom of saiddie plate,

an upper'cavity nest-mounting plate disposed below said die plate in a manner so as to ride on said rods in adjustable spring-loaded spacedrelationtorsaid die assembly-carrying plate, and having an opening v j V a die. assembly-carrying plate mounted on the free end of said ram and designed to ride on said rods,

said die assembly carrying plate,

I a heat-conductive die plate attached to thebottom of said insulating member, I heating means attached to said die plate, a die attached to the bottom of said die plate, an upper cavity nest-mounting plate disposed below said die plate in a manner so as to ride on said rods, and having an'opening to allow passage therethrough otsaid die, at least two oppositely-disposed outwardly-projecting lugs extending from said die assembly-carrying plate and said upper cavity nest-mounting plate,

an adjustable tie rod 'screw' connecting both of the latter plates at-their respective lugs in separating- "restraining relation, thereto,

designed to impose a separating thrust upon-said lugs;

a removable upper cavity nest attached to the bottom of said uppercavity nest-.mounting'plate and having an opening therein; in vertical alignment with the opening in said upper cavity nest-mounting plate and designed to allow passage therethrough of said die for hot stamping of an object encased by said cavity nest, I a

, feeding means for feeding hot-stamping tape under said opening in said upper cavity nest, and

a removable lower cavity nest attached to said base 'under said upper cavity nest and designed to hold an object to be 'hot-stampedwhen said ram is at the end of its downward stroke.

3. A -multi purpose' hot-stamping press according to claim 2 in which said feeding means is attached to the lugs on s'aid'upper' cavity nest-mounting plate.

designed to allow passage. therethrough of said, di 7 for hot-stamping of an object encased by said cavity nest,

feeding means'for feeding hot stamping tape under said 7 opening in said upper cavity nest, and r v a removable lower cavity nest attached to said base under said-upper cavity nest and designed'to hold, an

of its downward stroke,

object to be hot stamped when said ram is-at the end 2. A multipurpose hot-stamping press, comprising, in

' combination,

a base having vertically projecting guide rods mounted thereon and connected at the top by a cross plate, a vertically'adjustable screw ridingin said cross plate, a mounting plate swivelly. connected to the bottom of said screw and designed to ride on said rods, 7 V g a pressure cylinder and downwardly-directed ram connected therewith and mounted ,on said mounting plate, i

4. A multiepur-pose h-ot-stampingpress according to,

in which a laterally-movable airnozzle is disposed adjacent said base and designed to inject air into a hollow container encased in said cavity nests after said "nests are closed together over a container,

'5. A multi purpose hot-stamping press according to claim} in which an insulating pad is disposed between said die plate and said upper cavity nest-rnounting plate, said pad having a opening vfor passage therethrough of said die. V

i 1 References Cited bythe Examiner LROBERTVVE, PULFREY, Primary Examiner; WILLIAM B. PENN, Examiner.

thrust spring surrounding each of said screws and 

1. A MULTI-PURPOSE HOT STAMPING PRESS, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BASE HAVING VERTICALLY-PROJECTING GUIDE RODS MOUNTED NEAR THE EDGES OF SAID BASE, SAID RODS BEING CONNECTED AT THE TOP WITH A CROSS-PLATE, A PRESSURE CYLINDER AND DOWNWARDLY-DIRECTED RAM CONNECTED THEREWITH AND MOUNTED ON SAID CROSS-PLATE, A DIE ASSEMBLY-CARRYING PLATE MOUNTED ON THE FREE END OF SAID RAM AND DESIGNED TO RIDE ON SAID RODS, A RIGID INSULATING MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID DIE ASSEMBLY-CARRYING PLATE, A HEAT-CONDUCTIVE DIE PLATE ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID INSULATING MEMBER, HEATING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID DIE PLATE, A DIE ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM OF SAID DIE PLATE, AN UPPER CAVITY NEST-MOUNTING PLATE DISPOSED BELOW SAID DIE PLATE IN A MANNER SO AS TO RIDE ON SAID RODS IN ADJUSTABLE SPRING-LOADED SPACED RELATION TO SAID DIE ASSEMBLY-CARRYING PLATE, AND HAVING AN OPENING TO ALLOW PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF SAID DIE, A REMOVABLE UPPER CAVITY NEST ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM 